Fallen Stars
by marauders4evr
Summary: What if Sirius didn't wait until he was sixteen to run away? When Sirius is ten years old, he decides to run away and live on the streets. He takes an eight-year-old Regulus with him. Now the two brothers are forced to survive on their own.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not make any money from this Fanfiction. I do not own the characters used in this Fanfiction. The Harry Potter books are © by Ms. Joanne Kathleen Rowling, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Little Literacy Agency, Arthur A. Levine, Random House, & Warner Brothers. Other copyrights and trademarks of _Harry Potter_ belong to Hallmark, Jim Dale, Nintendo/Gameboy, Department56, Coca-Cola, Inc., and more to come. All rights reserved.

However, the idea of this Fanfiction is strictly my own.

Summary: What if Sirius didn't wait until he was sixteen to run away? When Sirius is ten years old, he decides to run away and live on the streets. He takes an eight-year-old Regulus with him. Now the two brothers are forced to survive on their own. They don't have anything but a tattered Muggle book, a handful of coins, several scraps of food, and each other. NO slash, other than a strong brotherly bond.

Fallen Stars

"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always

remember. you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than

you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you." ― A.A. Milne

Chapter One

The rain bore down, like a torrent of bullets, onto the roofs of London.

Two boys scurried through the streets, their cloaks whirling behind them.

The older boy was urging his little brother to run faster.

"Sirius, I can't hold on much longer," the latter whimpered.

The oldest boy raised his head, to look around. Beneath the hood of his cloak was a handsome, yet sorrowful, face. Silver eyes, which had once sparkled, were now dull. Raven black hair fell out of the hood and down to the boy's shoulders. A scar traced his cheek.

Sirius Black had been called many things, by his family. He had been called a traitor, a wretch, an imbecile…

Yet, no one dared to call Sirius Black an idiot.

For he was one of the smartest wizards of his age.

No one dared to call Sirius Black a quitter.

For he would not stop until he knew that he and his brother were safe.

No one dared to call Sirius Black weak.

For he would continue to run, until his dying breath.

He grasped his brother's hand tightly, and pulled him into a deserted alley.

There they knelt, with Sirius's hands on Regulus's shoulders.

Regulus Black whimpered. His own silver eyes were sparkled with tears. At only eight years old, he couldn't fully understand what was going on.

"Regulus, be quiet," Sirius soothed, "Everything's alright."

"I want Mummy," Regulus snivelled, "I want to go _home_, Sirius!"

"We can't go home," Sirius said, patiently, "We can't ever go back there."

This statement was too much for Regulus, who burst into tears. The tears mixed with the rain, which was falling in sheets.

"Stop that," Sirius said, desperately, "We'll be alright, on our own. We've stuck together, through worse."

Regulus's lip trembled, but he was able to quiet down.

"Can you read to me?" he finally whispered.

Sirius reached into the small bag and took out the battered book. They had managed to sneak the book out of a library, several months ago. It was by a Muggle author, known as Dr. Seuss. Regulus simply loved it, and even Sirius couldn't help but to feel calmer when he read it.

"I hardly need to look at the book," Sirius chuckled, "We've read it so many times."

Regulus blinked up at him, "The story could be different, now."

Sirius laughed as his brother's naiveté and began to read:

_Congratulations! Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!_

_You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go. _

_You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care. About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there." With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street_.

Sirius glanced down, and saw that Regulus was dozing off.

"That's enough for today," Sirius said, promptly.

Regulus nodded, letting his head droop. He let out a small snore.

Sirius held him, shielding him from the rain. He could feel the little boy's quickened heartbeat. He could hear his stomach growl, from lack of nutrition. He didn't let go, not even when Regulus fell asleep, nor when the rain subsided.

Even when the storm had passed, Sirius still held Regulus. For he was his brother's shield. He had always been his shield.

A/N: I know what you're thinking. You're reading this Fanfiction and going, "Ugh! Why did the author make Regulus eight-years old and Sirius ten-years-old? He's only a year younger than Sirius! I know. Regulus has a birthday coming up very soon, people!

So what'd you guys think? Please reply! Criticism, comments, I love them all!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I am so sorry, I forgot to put a disclaimer for the book that Sirius and Regulus read. It's _Oh The Places You'll Go_ by Dr. Theodore Seuss Geisel. I know that, if we go by J.K. Rowling's timeline, this story would take place in the late 1960s, and _Oh The Places You Will Go_ didn't come out, until 1990. I just really think that the story gives a good message about Sirius and Regulus's situation. I'm still going to make the story set in its original time period, however. Dr. Seuss is a pretty unpredictable guy. Maybe he sent a bunch of books back into the past?

Thank you for your great comments, already! They're what's keeping this story going!

Chapter Two

The dawn was alive with the day-to-day bustle of the city. Sirius's silver eyes flew open, with the sound of a passing automobile.

His stomach rumbled, and he felt shaky from malnutrition. He cast a look at his sleeping brother, before emerging from the alley.

Sirius tried to blend in with the commodores, but it wasn't easy.

Even though his head was hung, his eyes shifted from side to side.

He shuffled up to a fruit stand, with an angry looking attendant.

Sirius pulled several pennies out of his pocket, "How much will this buy?"

The man was not amused, "It'll get you a stem off of this apple."

"Please, sir," Sirius pleaded, "May I just have one piece of fruit?"

"No," the man said, gruffly, "Now get away from my stand. You're scaring away all of the customers."

Sirius backed away defeated. He quickly walked back to the alleyway, leaning against the side of the rundown building.

From his pocket, he produced two pieces of fruit. He sighed, bitterly. He hated being a thief, but it was the only way for him and Regulus to survive.

"Regulus," he whispered, shaking his brother, "It's time for breakfast."

Regulus blinked, sleepily. In his sleepy stupor, he reached for the fruit. He took a bite, murmuring, "It's too sour."

"Take this one, then," Sirius soothed, swapping fruits.

Regulus sighed, still half-asleep, "This one is too bitter!"

Sirius rolled his eyes, but kept his tone even as he said, "This is all we have to eat, so I suggest that you get used to it."

Regulus looked disheartened, but finished his fruit in silence.

Sirius saw his downcast look and said, "Remember that time when Aunt Irma took us to that fancy restaurant in Diagon Alley?"

Regulus looked up, a smile spreading on his face, "We had the whole restaurant to ourselves. The chef brought us whatever we asked for."

Sirius laughed, "We ordered the most bizarre things. Remember when I ordered the Bertie Botts Every Flavored Bean encrusted lobster?"

Regulus giggled, "You dipped it in chocolate! Oh, we were so hyper, when we got home. Mummy and Daddy were simply furious."

His face suddenly clouded, as he remembered the price that they had paid for their moment of fun.

Sirius also looked pained. He finally said, quietly, "Maybe we can go back to that restaurant, one day."

"Soon?" Regulus asked, hopefully.

"Soon," Sirius promised.

It was a blatant lie, and both brothers knew it. They couldn't risk going to Diagon Alley. They had to lie low in the Muggle world, where their parents wouldn't dare look.

A whistle suddenly blared through the alleyway.

Sirius looked up, trying to place the sound.

"It sounds like a train," he whispered, "The tracks must be nearby! This is it! This is our way out of the city, Regulus!"

He grabbed his younger brother's hand, running through the streets, towards the sound of freedom.

They ran onto the small train station, where the train was just starting to pull away.

"We have to hurry!" Sirius urged, pulling Regulus.

Sirius managed to scramble into an empty boxcar. He spun around, and saw that Regulus was falling behind.

"Come on, Regulus!" Sirius roared, holding out his hand.

But the eight-year old was not fast enough. He stumbled over his own feet, falling hard onto the platform.

Sirius hesitated, as the train picked up speed. He took a deep breath, leaping off, onto the platform. He felt his knees buckle, and he rolled onto the concrete, ignoring the pain in his shoulder.

He looked up, just as the last few boxcars sped around the corner.

For a moment, Sirius lay there, wondering if he had just made a huge mistake.

He hated himself for even doubting his actions. Groaning, he crawled over to Regulus, who was looking forlorn.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," Regulus whispered, "I tried."

"It's alright," Sirius soothed, hugging him.

"You should've gone," Regulus said, tearfully, "You would've gotten out of here. You would've been free."

"I wouldn't have been with you," Sirius pointed out.

Fat tears rolled down Regulus's face, making a path through the dirt.

"Stop that," Sirius said, quietly, "Reg, you can't keep crying at everything that goes wrong. Sometimes, life isn't what you want it to be. But it's your job to make something of what you have."

"I don't understand," Regulus sniffed.

Sirius sighed, "I know you don't. You're too young."

Regulus pouted, "You're only a year and seven months older than me!

"Those seven months are what make the difference," Sirius teased, ruffling Regulus's hair. He fastened his brother's cloak, and the two set off the tracks by foot.

Regulus's words still played in Sirius's mind. His brother was quite right. Sirius was hardly two years older than him.

Still, Sirius could definitely say that he was more mature.

It wasn't that Sirius wanted to be the mature one. There were days when he wanted to burst into tears. There were days when he wanted to chuck a Dungbomb at someone, or give a hearty, meaningful, laugh.

It was just that he had to grow up, quickly, in order to protect Regulus. Those childish things, like laughter, Dungbombs, etc, they were all nice. But Sirius was willing to shorten his childhood, so that Regulus could experience one.

He would also never cry in front of Regulus. Ever. Sirius knew that he was his brother's role model. Sirius knew that wherever he went, Regulus would follow. Sirius also knew that as long as he remained strong, Regulus would be strong.

So, Sirius blinked back his tears, put an arm around his brother, and the two walked towards the horizon.

A/N: Thank you for your reviews so far. I'm sorry I didn't put any flashbacks into this chapter. They will be coming soon; probably in the next chapter or so. Unfortunately, they will be coming in small incriminates and increasing as the story goes on. Right now, Sirius and Regulus don't want to think about the past. They want to push on for the future.

Any other suggestions will be greatly welcomed and put to good use!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks for your kind reviews so far.

Chapter Three

The tall buildings loomed above them, casting dark smoke into the air.

Sirius felt imprisoned. It wasn't that he hated London; he just preferred the countryside.

Unfortunately, he knew that, so long as they remained in the city, they would be close to food and shelter.

He also knew that the countryside had a way of turning even the most civilized people into animals.

So Sirius had managed to pull Regulus to the next best thing: a large, grassy, park that sat in the suburbs of the city.

Sirius sighed, leaning against a large tree. He smiled, as he watched Regulus slip down the slide, and twirl on the swings.

"We should just live here," Regulus beamed, "We don't have to go home, at night. We can play anytime we want to!"

Sirius shook his head, "We can't stay here forever, Reg."

Regulus sighed, retreating to the playground.

Sirius shook his head, once more, allowing his eyes to close.

They flew open again, when he heard the sound of someone crying.

Regulus was sprawled next to the merry-go-round, looking at a scrape on his arm.

Sirius ran over, surveying the damage. Regulus wasn't really hurt; just shaken. Sirius quickly rummaged into his bag, putting a small bandage on the scrape.

"Mummy usually kisses my boo-boos," Regulus muttered.

"Yeah, only after she causes them," Sirius said, before he could stop himself.

Regulus's face crumpled. Sirius reached for him, but his younger brother ran away, sitting on one of the swings.

The last few rays of the sun ducked behind the mountain. The park was suddenly thrown into darkness.

Sirius sighed, crossing over to sit next to Regulus.

The small boy was quiet for a moment. Finally he whispered, "Do Mummy and Daddy hate us?"

Sirius's eyes widened, "No, of course not. Th…they love us."

When he saw Regulus's teary eyes, he said, "Now, come on. It's time for bed."

He led his brother over to the large tree, where they sat down. Regulus laid next to him, using his lap as a pillow.

"They love us," Sirius repeated.

Regulus just sniffed, snuggling closer to Sirius.

Sirius glanced around the park, attentively. The creaking of the merry-go-round and swings seemed to ring in his ears. Odd shadows swept across the ground. An owl gave a ferocious hoot nearby.

Sirius closed his eyes, blocking out the fear. Slowly, he drifted into his dreams.

Hot flames were leaping all around him. Sirius tried to fight the fire, but it was too powerful.

His mother and father were on the other side, laughing. The flames lit up their faces, showing the pure evil.

The floor suddenly caved out from underneath him.

He fell through sheer blackness. When he finally landed, he found that he was in his bedroom at Grimmauld Place.

His father was looming in the doorway, reeking of alcohol and power.

Orion walked out of the room, saying, "Follow."

Sirius yawned and obeyed.

He followed his father outside. They stared up at the stars, which were clearly visible, despite being in the heart of London.

"There it is," Orion said, "The Orion constellation. And there you are. The Sirius star."

He turned to tower over Sirius. Sirius felt himself shrinking.

"Do you know why you were named accordingly?" his father's voice boomed, "You were named after the Dog star. That's all you are. A filthy, good for nothing, mutt. Trained to be loyal to his master. Trained to obey."

Orion swung, cuffing Sirius on the side of the face. Sirius tried to run away, but Orion struck him again. He stumbled, falling off of the roof. He seemed to defy gravity, as he fell upwards, crashing into the stars…

"Sirius! Sirius!"

Sirius gave a start, as his eyes flew open.

Regulus's face loomed in his view, "You were having a nightmare."

"I was not," Sirius said, hotly. He sat up, pushing his little brother off of him.

He was drenched in a cold sweat, and his eyes stung.

"Are you ill?" Regulus asked, frightened.

"I'm fine, Reg," Sirius said, calmly, wiping his brow, "I need to use the loo."

He stumbled off, into the bushes, until he came upon a smooth pond. The stars reflected the surface.

Sirius fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

"They love us," he hissed, angrily. He kicked the ground, and threw several rocks into the pond, breaking the smooth surface.

"They love us!"

The more he repeated it, the more he doubted it.

When Sirius had finally exhausted himself, he splashed water onto his face, hoping that Regulus wouldn't notice his puffy eyes.

He looked across the pond, and a small smile came to his face, "Hey Regulus! Come over here!"

Regulus walked over, yawning.

"Look over there," Sirius pointed.

Regulus's timid face broke into a grin. Thousands of fireflies were zooming through the air.

Before Sirius could stop him, Regulus ran around the bank. Sirius followed him, and the two brothers entered a wall of sparkling light.

The fireflies twinkled, zooming around them. Their lights reflected in the pond.

Regulus leapt up, trying to catch one.

Sirius joined him, feeling a small wave of euphoria.

An uncanny noise escaped from his mouth. It took Sirius a moment, before he realized that he was laughing.

The two brothers jumped around, laughing and trying to catch the wondrous lights. They finally fell back onto the ground, too exhausted to get up.

Sirius put an arm around Regulus, hugging him. The two peacefully dozed off, as the fireflies flew up to blend with the stars.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I told you Reg had a birthday coming up! I understand that his mannerisms may seem a bit too immature for his age. Still, he has gone through a lot, in his lifetime.

Chapter Four

The two brothers stayed at the park for two weeks. They laid low, sleeping, during the daytime, and Sirius watched over Regulus as he played, during the nighttime. During their stay, the final leaves fell from the trees, and the nights grew unbearably cold.

When it finally came time for them to leave, Sirius had to literally drag Regulus away.

"No!" Regulus squealed, "I don't want to go! You can't make me!"

Sirius finally threw his hands into the air, "For God's sake, Regulus! Stop acting like a child!"

Regulus jutted out his chin, "I _am_ a child!"

Sirius suddenly realized something, "Blimey, Regulus. Do you know what day it is?"

Regulus shook his head.

Sirius did the math, before whispering, "I think that it's your birthday."

Regulus's eyes widened, "I guess you're right."

Sirius hugged him, "You'll still be my little brother to me."

Indeed, even though Regulus was now nine-years old, he still had the mentality of someone much younger.

Then again, Sirius mused, he didn't know many nine-year olds who faced what he and Regulus had to face everyday.

"Come on," Sirius said, "This deserves a celebration."

The two took the underground into the heart of London. They wandered around, mindlessly, until they came across a bakery.

"But Sirius," Regulus pointed out, "We haven't go any money."

"Well, you're a charming, little, man," Sirius grinned, "I'm sure that you can get a few pastries, off of your looks, alone."

Regulus grinned, the sarcasm flying over his head.

"Alright," Sirius said, scheming, "We need to make this look good."

They opened the door, hearing the bell ring overhead.

Regulus walked up to the display case, pressing his nose against the glass.

"Regulus," Sirius scoffed, gently, "The baker worked hard to clean that glass. You're soiling it!"

"I'm sorry," Regulus said, guiltily. His silver eyes shone with innocence.

The baker waved him off, "Don't worry about it," he said, with a heavy French accent.

Regulus put his hands behind his back, shifting from foot to foot, "S'il vous plaît, monsieur, puis-je avoir un petit dessert? C'est mon anniversaire et je ne peux pas se permettre un gâteau."

"But of course," the baker said, softening. He handed Sirius and Regulus each a cupcake, and a scone for good measure.

Regulus looked at him, touched, "Merci mon bon monsieur. Vous êtes très gentil."

Sirius took his brother by the hand, leading him out of the bakery.

They were a block away, before the two burst out laughing.

"That was brilliant," Sirius grinned, biting into a cupcake, "You, my brother, are one true con-artist."

Regulus smiled, his face covered with icing.

Sirius continued, "I didn't know that you could speak French, that fluently."

"Uncle Arcturus made me take those private lessons, remember?" Regulus pointed out. He then sighed, dreamily, "I've always wanted to go to Paris."

Sirius stared at him, in wonder. Finally he said, "Regulus, I promise you, that one day I'll take you to Paris."

"Really?" Regulus looked up.

"Before your next birthday," Sirius promised.

"Cross your heart?"

"Cross my heart," Sirius smiled.

"Thanks, Sirius," Regulus said, snuggling next to him.

Sirius smiled, sadly, "I'm sorry it's not much of a birthday."

"It's a great birthday," Regulus piped up, "I got to spend it with you!"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So there seems to be some confusion about the maturity aspect. What I imagine is that Regulus has always been slightly immature, because he wants to preserve the childhood that he never really had. Sirius, on the other hand, knows that in order to do what's best for Regulus, he [Sirius] has to act mature and rational. However, you'll notice, that as the story progresses, Regulus is going to become mature very quickly, and Sirius is going to have a few childish moments.

Chapter Five

The first snowfall brought both joy and sorrow to the two brothers. Sirius and Regulus loved to walk around, during the daytime, and marvel at the massive flakes. They would often build small snowmen, or have a friendly snowball fight.

At night, however, the cold air was unbearable. Sirius and Regulus hopped from shelter to shelter, leaving as soon as anything looked suspicious.

It broke Sirius's heart, to see Regulus shivering. He fastened both cloaks onto his little brother, but it didn't block out the cold.

More than once, whilst sleeping under an underpass or loitering in the garbage for food, Sirius wondered if it was all worth it.

Then he remembered the things that they had faced, before. He made up his mind that, no matter what circumstances lay ahead, he was not turning back.

Which was why he felt his heart plummet, when Regulus whispered, "Sirius, we're near our house."

Against his better nature, Sirius allowed Regulus to drag him to Grimmauld Place, but he did not allow him to go closer than the park across the street.

They watched as their house materialized between Number 11 and Number 13.

Sirius leaned against the iron gate, staring at the house with disgust.

Regulus stepped forward. Sirius put a hand on his shoulder, warningly.

He watched, stunned, as Regulus bent down, picking something off of the ground.

Then, before Sirius could react, Regulus had thrown a rock into one of the windows. He chucked another, and then a third.

"Reg, take it easy!" Sirius cried, appalled.

He grabbed his brother's arm, and the two ran away. When they were half a dozen blocks away, Regulus finally burst into tears.

"Regulus, what's wrong?" Sirius asked, gently.

Regulus didn't answer. By now he had entered a state that only children seem to enter, when they're terribly upset. His face was swollen and red. His chest rose and fell with every huge, uneven, breath. Tears poured, endlessly, down his face, as he tried to gain control of himself. Every sob shook his fragile body.

Sirius held onto his little brother, trying to soothe him.

Regulus tried to say something, but it came out in muffled gasps.

Finally he managed to burst out, "It's our house, but it's not our home."

Sirius felt his own eyes sting, but he blinked back his own tears.

After a few minutes, Regulus finally calmed down. He didn't let go of his older brother, however.

"Don't ever let me go back there, Sirius," he sniffed, still red-faced.

Sirius hugged him, tightly, "Never."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

True to his word, for the next few weeks, Sirius and Regulus spent their time on the other side of the city, in the Victorian district.

It was cute to see all of the quaint houses covered in snow, their windows twinkling welcomingly.

One night, when Sirius dozed off, he woke up to find that Regulus was not there.

His heart instantly crashed into his stomach, and he felt a wave of anxiety hit him as he cried, "Regulus? Regulus!"

He burst out of the alleyway, which they had been sleeping in, and relaxed, as he saw his brother looking through the window of a family house.

"Regulus, are you mental?" Sirius hissed, "You could get yourself caught."

"Sirius, I think that it's Christmas Eve," Regulus whispered, pointing.

Indeed, a large spruce tree was in the corner of the family's sitting room, decorated with bulbs and candles. Presents littered the floor besides it. A tray of cookies was placed delicately on the table, waiting for Father Christmas to consume them.

A mother came into the room, coddling her infant son.

Regulus and Sirius ducked down, but continued to stare into the room.

The mother sat in a rocking chair, gently rocking the infant to sleep.

The father came in, followed by two young children. Their faces were scrubbed and their nightgowns were perfectly pressed. A beautiful dog followed, curling up at the father's feet.

The children's eyes shone with excitement, as they stared, longingly, at their presents.

The mother scolded them gently, before reading from a book. The family huddled next to her, unaware of how lucky they were.

Sirius and Regulus stared pensively at the room, before creeping back to their dismal alleyway.

"Do you think that Father Christmas will find us?" Regulus asked.

Sirius sighed, heavily. It was best if his brother knew the truth.

"Reg," Sirius said, "Father Christmas is…"

Regulus stared up at him. Sirius just didn't have the heart.

Sirius closed his eyes, before saying, "Father Christmas doesn't have time to worry about two little boys in an alleyway. He has an entire world to deliver presents to."

Regulus sighed, as though he was expecting this answer, "What kind of world do we live in, when Father Christmas abandons you?"

Christmas day saw Sirius being pounced on by his little brother.

"Sirius, wake up! Come on then, wake up! You have to come see this!"

Sirius sat up, rubbing his eyes, "What's the matter?"

"Father Christmas _was_ here! He left us a present! Come on!"

Sirius shook himself out of his stupor, and followed Regulus to the end of the alleyway.

He blinked, before saying, "It's a dog."

A large, black, dog was sitting in the middle of the alleyway.

"It's _our_ dog," Regulus beamed, "Father Christmas left it for us! See, I told you that he would come!"

"Regulus," Sirius groaned, "That's not our dog. That's just some stray. Get away from it; it could have rabies."

"Please, can't we keep him?" Regulus pleaded.

"No," Sirius said, firmly, "We barely have enough food to feed ourselves, let alone a dog."

Regulus stomped his foot, "That's so unfair! You wouldn't let me bring my owl when we left Grimmauld Place! Now I can't have Shadow?"

"Who's Shadow?" Sirius asked, bewildered.

"The dog!"

"You named him?" Sirius cried out, "We're not keeping him."

Regulus threw his hands into the air, "I hate you!"

Even though he knew that his brother was being melodramatic, it still struck a blow to Sirius's heart.

Nonetheless, _he_ was in charge of _Regulus_.

"Go to your room!" he roared, the first threat that he could think of.

"I don't have a room," Regulus shot back. Still, he went to sit behind a dustbin, where he commenced a fake tantrum.

In the end, the two spent the day walking around, asking anyone of they knew the dog. After three people confirmed that it was just a stray, Sirius finally said, "Alright. But you have to promise to take care of him."

"Yay!" Regulus said, besides himself with euphoria.

Sirius laughed, "You are so _difficult_!"

Regulus merely stuck his tongue out. He then knelt next to Shadow, "He's a stray, just like us. We strays have to stick together."

Sirius swallowed, hugging his brother, "Merry Christmas, Regulus."

A/N: Gah, I completely forgot to announce: If any of you have a Tumblr account, you can follow mine. My username is the same as this one: Marauders4EVR. I update every single time I create a new chapter. Also, I post illustrations of the story! Check it out, sometime!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry for the short delay. I needed to organize the story. Hope you enjoy! Keep reviewing!

Chapter Six

In the end, Sirius wasn't quite sure how he and Regulus managed to survive the harsh winter.

The days were long and the nights were cold. The brothers managed to find several homeless shelters, staying for no more than two or three days, at a time. Charities were very benevolent, giving the brothers much needed supplies. Average civilians, however, turned their noses to the air, whenever they saw the duo.

Sirius and Regulus were often hungry, and often had to resort to thievery to obtain food. The shelters that tried to help them could only give so much. The things that they did give were closely inspected by Sirius. Sirius realized that living on the streets had caused him to become slightly paranoid.

One day, he woke up, and was shocked when Regulus wasn't next to him.

He jumped off of the park bench, that they had been lying on, and looked around.

"Shadow, find Regulus!" he cried, frantically.

The dog lifted his head, yawning.

"You useless mutt," Sirius sighed, running down the park path, "Regulus?"

He spotted his brother standing next to a fountain, talking to another man.

Sirius's heart plummeted as he saw that the man was in uniform. He realized, with horror, that it was a Muggle policeman.

"Reg, no!" Sirius cried, pulling his brother away.

When the officer raised his eyebrows, Sirius said, quickly, "I'm sorry, sir. I hope that my brother hasn't bothered you!"

He didn't wait for the man to answer. He grabbed Regulus's arm, pulling him as hard as he could.

"Sirius, wait!" Regulus cried, but Sirius didn't stop.

He grabbed Shadow's collar, and the four raced away.

Regulus tried to protest, and Shadow lapped at Sirius's ankles.

Finally, when they were over a mile away, Sirius dragged the three behind a slushy snow pile, ignoring Regulus's weak punches.

"What are you doing?" Regulus wailed.

"Are you an idiot?" Sirius roared, "What do you think you were doing, talking to a police officer?"

"He…he seemed nice," Regulus said, in a small voice, "He said that he wanted to help us."

Sirius threw his hands into the air, "He was going to help by shipping us off to an orphanage or back to Grimmauld Place! We'll end up being separated!"

Regulus stumbled backwards, sitting down on the cobblestone street.

Sirius continued, angrily, "Is that what you want? Do you want to be separated? Answer me, Regulus!"

"No!" Regulus burst out, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Oh, don't you dare start crying!" Sirius snapped, viciously.

Regulus took several shuddering breaths, trying to calm down.

Sirius softened, but was still short when he asked, "Why the bloody hell did you start talking to him, in the first place?"

By now, Regulus was hopelessly confused, "I thought that I could trust him."

"Regulus, we live on the streets," Sirius sighed, "You can't trust anyone."

Regulus nodded, turning away from Sirius. Sirius was certain that his little brother didn't want to see him crying.

Sirius suddenly realized something, "Ah no! I must've left my satchel back in the park. Come on, we need to go get it."

Regulus didn't answer.

For a second, Sirius thought that he had fallen asleep. He then realized that Regulus was merely ignoring him.

"Come on, then, Reg!" Sirius urged.

Regulus muttered something.

"Come again?" Sirius asked.

"You said that I shouldn't trust anyone," Regulus reminded him, "Why should I trust you?"

Sirius groaned, "I meant to not trust strangers. You know who I am. I'm Sirius Orion Black, your brother, and the only person you have left."

Regulus merely blinked up at him.

Sirius sighed, realizing that he had been acting irrationally, "I wouldn't trust myself either, Reg."

He turned around, his adrenaline burnt. He felt his eyes burn, and a lump rose in his throat.

Someone put a hand on his shoulder. Sirius turned, and felt himself being ambushed by a hug from Regulus.

Sirius hugged him back, smiling, "Come on."

They retraced their steps, until they reached the park.

The satchel was still beneath the park bench. Sirius sighed, relieved.

He leafed through it, pulling out nonperishable foods, a safety blanket, a change of clothes, Regulus's book, a can of dog food, several potions, and a sneakoscope.

The sneakoscope and potions had been stolen from his father's study, shortly before Regulus and Sirius had run away.

Regulus took the book, asking, "Can you read to me?"

"Fine," Sirius smiled.

Shadow curled next to them, as they snuggled on the bench.

Sirius opened to a random page, and began to recite:

_NO! That's not for you! Somehow you'll escape all that waiting and staying You'll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you'll ride high! Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you're that kind of a guy! _

Sirius broke off, thoughtfully.

Regulus yawned, staring up at him, "What's wrong?"

"I was just wondering," Sirius mused, "What do you think Dr. Seuss meant by all of this?"

Regulus thought for a moment, before whispering, "There is no meaning. That's what makes it such a good story."

Sirius slowly nodded, "Come on. We best be moving on."

Regulus was already sound asleep.

Sirius chuckled, gently picking his brother up. He piggybacked Regulus across the city, with Shadow at his heels.

A/N: Sorry if this sounded so dull. This was really a filler chapter, so that I didn't jump right from Christmas to springtime.

I was asked if someone was going to help the boys. Why, yes! In fact, that certain someone will be appearing in the next chapter.

There's still more to come. Keep replying! (;


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hello, fellow readers! I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to update in about a few days (10 to be exact). I hope you enjoy this long chapter!

Chapter Seven

Sirius realized that he was beginning to know no other way of living, than life on the streets.

He and Regulus were familiar with the different places that they could spend the night, without raising suspicion.

Their makeshift homes only lasted for several days, and they were far from snug.

Alleyways and public parks were always a popular destination. Unfortunately, the cold air was often bitter and harsh.

At one point, Sirius pulled Regulus into a public loo. The two boys used massive heaps of toilet paper to create a makeshift bed for Regulus. Sirius, meanwhile, sat on the sinks, keeping a lookout, as Shadow lapped at the toilet water.

It was Regulus who finally found the perfect hideaway. The young boy was chasing Shadow down the street, when the latter suddenly darted beneath a boarded up door of a rundown building.

Regulus immediately followed, crawling beneath the gap.

"Regulus, get back here!" Sirius ordered, frantically.

He looked around, making sure that no one had spotted them. Finally, he ducked into the building.

He was thrown into complete darkness. He groped around, before finding a light switch. He turned it on, and found that they were in a large room. A thick layer of dust covered the furniture and tacky floors.

Sirius eventually realized that they were standing in the lobby of an abandoned hotel.

"Blimey," he whispered.

Regulus started forward, but Sirius caught his shoulder. It was clear that the rest of the hotel was rundown and inhabitable.

Only the lobby remained in tact, though dustily so.

Regulus noticed a stack of lumpy, stained, mattresses in the corner. He pulled two out, grinning.

"This place is perfect!" Regulus cried, "No one will ever find us, here."

"I suppose not," Sirius agreed.

True to Regulus's statement, the boys spent the rest of their winter nights in the rundown hotel; coming out, only to retrieve food or news of the world.

Food was another large issue, but Sirius and Regulus were becoming skillful in the art of pick-pocketing. Their integrity was lost, but they did what they had to, in order to survive.

At long last, the trees began to bloom, and the grass began to grow. Sirius was beginning to feel optimistic about their situation. It wasn't ideal, but they were making the most of it.

Things were looking up.

Unfortunately, what goes up must also come down.

It's for this reason that Sirius wasn't surprised, when he woke up one morning, to Regulus's sniffling.

The poor boy's nose was runny, and he looked green with nausea. Sirius carefully put a hand to his brother's forehead. He felt feverish.

Sirius sighed, sympathetically. He opened his satchel, and was dismayed to find that the potions were expired.

Sirius gently led Regulus's over to one of the mattresses. He tucked his brother in, tenderly.

"Regulus, listen to me," Sirius said, softly, "I need to leave for a few minutes."

"You're leaving me?" Regulus lifted his head, horrified.

"No," Sirius said, sharply, "I'll never leave you, Reg. I just need to run a few errands. You're too sick to come with me."

Shadow pushed past Sirius, snuggling up next to Regulus.

"I'll be back within the hour," Sirius promised, "I need you to stay here. Don't answer the door for anyone, and don't talk to strangers."

Regulus looked confused, "Sirius, the door's boarded up and there's no one in here, other than us."

"Right," Sirius said, heat rising to his cheeks, "Get some rest, bro. I'll be back."

Sirius threw on his cloak, pulling up the hood. He shot his brother a worried look, before ducking out into the streets.

Sighing, Sirius set off across the city.

He walked into a dusty pub, nodding at the bartender. He then casually walked out into the courtyard, and waited for an older wizard to tap the wall.

The wall opened up, revealing Diagon Alley.

Sirius kept his head low, and stuck to the shadows. He knew that this place was dangerous. The Black's were immensely known in the Wizard World, and if anyone spotted Sirius, it would be trouble.

This was why Sirius had ensured that he and Regulus had stayed in London.

Sirius slunk into the Apothecary, taking several Pepper-Up Potions to the counter.

The storekeeper stared at him suspiciously, before accepting Sirius's money.

It was only when he gave a large exhale, that Sirius realized he was holding his breath. He quickly snatched the vials, racing out of the store.

He leaned against the wall, for several minutes, watching the hustle and bustle of the city.

He was about to leave, when he heard a sharp cry.

A boy was racing through the streets, being chased by several thuggish looking men. The boy looked both terrified and exhilarated.

They were coming towards the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius hesitated, taking in the stack of decorative cauldrons next to him. He leaned against them, causing the pile to topple onto the cobblestone road.

When the dust cleared, Sirius saw that he had divided the street. The thugs were on one side, and he and the boy were on the other.

The boy looked at Sirius, in awe. Sirius quickly pulled his hood back up. He shuffled into the pub, and back into the Muggle World.

He leaned against a streetlamp, measuring his stupidity. So much for lying low, and not drawing attention to himself.

He sighed, turning around, and found himself face-to-face with the boy.

"Thanks for that, mate," the boy said.

"No problem," Sirius said, quietly.

He went to walk away, but the boy was persistent.

"I haven't seen you around here, before. What's your name?"

Sirius stopped, "You don't know who I am?"

"No?" the boy said, confused, "Why, should I?"

"No," Sirius said, relieved. He hesitated, before holding out his hand, "M'name's Sirius Black."

"James Potter," the boy grinned.

Sirius returned the smile, half-heartedly, "So, what did you do, anyway?"

James snorted, "I threw a Dungbomb at them."

He held up the small prank-device. Sirius stared at it, longingly. There had been a time where he had at least half a dozen Dungbombs in his pocket.

That was, until one accidentally detonated at the breakfast table.

Sirius absentmindedly touched his arm, remembering the beating that he had received.

"Are you okay?"

Sirius shook himself out of his flashback, noting that James was staring at him with concern, "I'm fine."

"Do you feel up to an ice-cream?" James said, bracingly.

Sirius shook his head, "I haven't any money."

"It's my treat," James reassured him, "After all, you saved my skin."

They went to a Muggle vendor, buying two cones.

Sirius hesitated, before whispering, "I hate to ask you this, mate. Do you think that I could have a small cone for my brother? I'll pay you back, of course."

"No problem," James grinned, purchasing one.

Sirius stared at the frozen treat, practically drooling, "Blimey. It's been years since I've had an ice-cream."

"Your parents don't take you?" James asked, baffled.

"I haven't got those," Sirius muttered.

James gasped, "I'm sorry, mate. I didn't mean to…"

"It's fine," Sirius sighed, "I suppose I best be off. My brother's sick, and he needs some Pepper-Up Potion."

"Where is your brother?" James asked, quietly.

"He's resting at our hideaway," Sirius said, quickly, "I've never left him alone before, which is why I need to get going."

Unfortunately, he couldn't ignore how James's eyes widened, "Blimey! You two have your own hideaway? Can I see?"

"No," Sirius bit.

James looked hurt, "Hey, come on. You can trust me."

And for some reason, Sirius did, "Oh, alright then. You can't tell anyone, though."

James nodded, and followed Sirius through the city. They finally stopped outside the rundown hotel.

"Wicked!" James grinned, as Sirius helped him through the small hole.

Regulus was still in bed. His fever appeared to be broken, but he still looked simply miserable.

"Sirius, where have you been?" he bleated, before spotting James, "Oh, hullo."

"Hi there," James said, almost diffidently.

Sirius crossed over to Regulus, helping him to his feet.

"You've been gone for over an hour," Regulus whimpered, "I was afraid that something had happened. I thought that you had left."

Forgetting that James was there, Sirius pulled his brother into a tight hug, "Regulus, I promised you that I wouldn't ever leave you."

James stared at the two boys, in wonder. Shadow nudged him, and James crouched down, petting the dog, lovingly.

Sirius let go of Regulus, before handing him the ice-cream.

Regulus stared at it, hungrily. He wolfed it down, getting more on his face than in his mouth.

Sirius laughed, then pulling a vial out of the satchel, "Here you go, little brother. Drink up."

Regulus wrinkled his nose, but took a large swig.

"Not all at once," James said, hastily.

It was too late. Steam rushed out of the poor boy's ears and nose.

Sirius and James laughed at Regulus's perplexed look. Within moments, the steam had cleared, and Regulus was looking like his old self.

"So, you two live here?" James finally asked, looking around.

"Just in the lobby," Sirius explained, "The rest of the hotel is nearly caved-in."

James looked horrified, "Is it safe?"

"I reckon it's safer than living on the streets," Sirius shrugged.

James nodded, but still looked troubled. He turned to Regulus, "Are you sure that you don't want to go to a doctor, mate?"

Regulus shook his head, frightened of the thought of a doctor.

Sirius suddenly had an idea. He pulled the familiar book out of his satchel, "The only doctor he needs is Doctor Seuss."

James grinned, "Hey, I know that book! My mum used to read it to me."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, "Your mum's a Muggle?"

James snorted, "No, we've been purebloods for centuries. My mum just enjoys Muggle literature. Do you mind?"

He took the book, opened to the ribbon, and began to read:

_Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!There are points to be scored. There are games to be the magical things you can do with that ballwill make you the winning-est winner of all. _

Regulus slumped against Sirius, in a heavy doze. Sirius tried to keep his own eyes opened, but they were as heavy as lead.

Slowly, he allowed them to droop.

The lobby was dark when Sirius's eyes flew open once more.

For a moment, he wondered if everything had been a dream.

Then, he saw the empty vial of Pepper-Up Potion. Next to it was a box, which contained everything from Galleons to food to new robes.

A note was next to it:

_Sirius & Regulus_

_I know that you two will end up going places beyond anyone's imagination._

_Hopefully, this will help with your next adventure._

_I'll see you soon._

_Really soon,_

_James_

Sirius smiled, laying back.

He allowed his dreams to take control of him. For in his dreams, he _could, _in fact, go beyond anyone's imagination.

A/N: James will be back, folks. Not for another few chapters, though.


	8. Author's Note

Author's Note:

Hello, everyone. First of all, thank you for your hits and replies.

Secondly, I'm sorry that this isn't an actual chapter. I will upload a new one in the next few days.

Right now, I just want to say this:

It is very hard to be writing this story, where Regulus and Sirius are close, and then try to write James Potter and the Shards of the Moon, where Sirius hates his brother. Obviously, this story isn't that canon. But it does bring up some questions. What was their real relationship? From what Sirius says in the Order of the Phoenix, we can believe that he didn't care for Regulus. But was Sirius just hiding his real feelings? And what of Regulus? Did he have any love or compassion for his older brother, or did he truly accept his parents beliefs?

Which brings up another point: Regulus's last act, in his life, was his attempt to defeat one of Voldemort's horcuxes. So that means that, he was a good person, deep down. That's what makes it hard for an author. Giving the fact that Regulus did a kind act before his death, does that mean that he deserves to be portrayed as a nice person in Fanfictions?

The same conflicts goes towards Snape. We all know that Snape made many mistakes, but in the end, he truly was Dumbledore's man. I know that I'm not the only author who feels bad, when you write stories about James tormenting Snape. At the same time, though, you know that that is what's canon.

So basically, the confliction is: If a character ends up being good in the end, do they deserve to be written as good, when they're young?

What do you guys think? Comment with answers!

Obviously, Regulus and Sirius have a great relationship in this story, and they will continue to have a great relationship.

Just so you know, James Potter and the Tomb of Slytherin is here:

.net/s/7334719/1/James_Potter_and_the_Tomb_of_Slytherin

James Potter and the Shards of the Moon (Which was just uploaded several days ago) is here: .net/s/8049487/1/James_Potter_and_the_Shards_of_the_Moon

And, if you guys have a Tumblr, follow me. The same username: Marauders4EVR. So far, I have posted an update, every single time I upload a chapter to this story, and the other ones.

Plus, I have Fan-Art for this story!

More coming soon. Just had to get this off my chest.

*Marauders4EVR*


	9. Chapter 8

A/N: Four more chapters to go. The next chapter's going to be the big, climactic, scene. Thank you for everone who has reviewed. They mean a lot.

Chapter Eight

Snippets of hair scattered the floor of the hotel lobby.

Sirius bit his lip as he tried to give his brother a haircut. Regulus kept squirming, making a perfect cut nearly impossible.

At long last, Sirius gave up. Regulus's hair still came down past his ears, yet it wasn't as long as Sirius's, which fell well past his shoulders.

"Can't we go to a barber?" Regulus complained.

Sirius snorted, "Reg, we barely have enough money for food, let alone luxurious hair-styling."

He crossed over to the box, that had once held the provisions, provided by James. It was nearly empty.

Sirius sighed. It had been a month, since they had met James, and Sirius wished that they could run into him, again.

Of course, he was thick to believe that James would want to hang around them.

Still, James was the closest thing to a mate that Sirius had ever had.

Even if it was for only an hour.

Regulus crossed his arms, sulking.

"Don't give me that look," Sirius said, irritated, "Why don't you take Shadow outside, to use the loo?"

"Fine," Regulus snapped, motioning for his dog to follow.

Sirius stared after them, bitterly. He knew that they had both been acting testily. Still, what was to be expected, with little food?

Sirius felt his growling stomach, wallowing in self-pity.

A sudden scream pulled him out of his sorrows. Sirius jumped up, racing outside.

He gave an anguished cry. Regulus was leaning against the rundown hedge, looking terrified.

Shadow, meanwhile, was ripping at the leg of a bystander, drawing blood.

"Stop that!" Sirius cried, wildly, "Get away from him!"

He went to give the dog a harsh blow, but Shadow's jaw caught Sirius's arm.

Sirius reeled back, horrified.

A wagon skirted over the curb, and a gruff looking man came out. He grabbed Shadow, shoving him into the back of the wagon.

Sirius saw that the side of the vehicle read: DOG CATCHER.

"No!" Regulus squealed. He ran forward, but Sirius restrained him.

Meanwhile, the poor civilian had wobbled off, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.

"Shadow!" Regulus bawled, as the dog scratched at the cage, "Stop! Don't let them take him!"

"Reg, get a grip!" Sirius roared, shaking his brother.

Regulus fought as hard as he could, but Sirius was stronger. Reg's eyes sparkled with tears, as he watched Shadow get taken away.

He immediately crumpled, sobbing.

"That dog is mad!" Sirius went on, "I knew that there was something off, about him!"

Regulus shook his head, "He didn't mean it!"

"Are you mental?" Sirius cried, "You're going to defend him, after he bit me? And what of that other man?"

"That man jumped out at us," Regulus gasped, between sobs, "He asked for money. I was scared, so I screamed. I went to go back inside, but he stepped in between me and the door. That's why Shadow attacked him! He was trying to protect me!"

Sirius immediately felt a stab of guilt. He put an arm around his brother, but Regulus jumped away.

"He still bit me," Sirius said, defensively.

"He didn't mean to!" Regulus wept, "Oh, Sirius! We have to go after him!"

"There's no way that they're going to let us get him," Sirius sighed, "They'll ask for parental identification. In ase you haven't noticed, we don't have any parents, do we?"

Regulus glared daggers at Sirius, "That's why we need Shadow! He's a member of our family!"

"All he does is eat our food and urinate on the hotel walls," Sirius sighed, "He's nothing more than a burden on the family. We're better off, without him."

Regulus was so upset that he was shaking. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out, other than an anguished roar.

He spun around, racing back into the hotel.

Sirius sighed, listening as his brother threw a tremendous tantrum. When all was quiet, Sirius entered.

Regulus was lying on his mattress, burrowed beneath the blankets.

Sirius sighed, lying down on his own mattress.

He tried to sleep, but his dreams consisted of whining dogs and slaughter houses.

Sirius finally woke up, in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat.

He crossed over to the pitcher, where they kept the water. He splashed some on his face, drinking the rest.

He then opened the last bag of potato crisps.

"Regulus, do you want some?" he whispered.

When his brother didn't answer, Sirius glanced closer.

He felt the bag fall from his hand, sending crisps scattering across the floor.

Beneath Regulus's blankets was a wadded-up pillow, and a note.

Regulus was gone.

Sirius grabbed the note, reading:

**Sirius,**

**You said that Shadow was just a burden on our family. I reckon that I'm a burden, as well. I was thinking of the book by Dr. Seuss. I realized that you cannot go to the places that you want to, because you're babysitting me.**

**So I've decided that I'm going to go out on my own. It'll be better this way. I'm going to find Shadow, and he and I will be our own family. Don't worry about us. We'll go to the orphanage, if need be.**

**Love,**

**Your Former Brother,**

**Regulus**


	10. Chapter 9

A/N: You guys didn't actually think that I was going to let Regulus grow up in an orphanage, did you? Welcome to the climactic chapter. There's two more small ones after this, but this is the biggest one!

Chapter Nine

Sirius ran until his legs collapsed.

Even then, he managed to stumble up the steps to a grimy orphanage.

This was the fourth orphanage that he had visited, and he had all but lost hope.

Sirius knocked on the door, attentively.

An intoxicated woman threw open the door, "Go away!"

"Hi," Sirius said, clearing his throat, "Is there a child named Regulus Black, here?"

She thought about it, swaying on the spot. Finally she nodded, "Yep. That little brat came in, last night. Nasty little brute; knocking on my door at three in the morn'."

"Right," Sirius said, relieved, "He's my brother. I really need him to come home, with me."

"Well, I just called your parents," she chirped, "They seemed quite glad that he was safe. They said that they would be by, in the morning."

"No!" Sirius cried, "He can't go back there. I need him to come with me!"

"He ain't going nowhere, 'less your parents are here,"

Sirius went to protest, but she slammed the door in his face.

Sirius hit it, fiercely.

"Sirius?"

Sirius spun around, hopefully, and was surprised to see that it was not Regulus, but James.

"James? What're you doing here?" Sirius asked, hopping off of the stoop.

"My mum wanted me to donate some old Muggle clothes," James held up a bag, "I won't be needing them. I got my Hogwarts letter, today."

For a second, Sirius was distracted, "That's great, mate."

Sirius had completely forgotten about Hogwarts. He didn't turn eleven, until next month. Even if he did get his letter, there was no way he'd be able to go.

After all, who would take care of Regulus?"

"Sirius?" James cried, pulling him out of his thoughts, "What're you doing here?"

"Regulus and I had a fight," Sirius groaned, "He ran off to this place, and they're not letting him go."

"What should we do?" James asked, immediately.

"I don't know," Sirius sighed, miserably, "I don't even know what room he's in."

James stroked his chin, before saying, "Hide in the shrubs. I'll be right back."

"Where're you going?" Sirius asked, ducking down.

"I need to donate these clothes," James called over his shoulder, as he knocked on the door.

The woman answered, and immediately let James in.

Sirius remained hidden for a quarter of an hour. He was just about to give up hope, when James came bursting back outside.

"Where have you been?"

"Scoping the orphanage," James breathed, restlessly, "Regulus is in the fourth room from the left, on the third floor!"

"Brilliant," Sirius said, "We can't do anything now, though."

James agreed, "We'll have to wait, until it's dark."

They sat down, beneath the bushes, and waited for the sun to set.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did your parents die?" James finally asked.

"Who said that they were dead?" Sirius asked, looking at him.

James's eyes widened, "I'm sorry. I just assumed…"

"We ran away," Sirius said, quietly.

James stared at him for a moment, before whispering, "Why?"

Sirius sighed, "I'm surprised we didn't run away, sooner. Our parents believed that physical pain was an excellent punishment for disobedience. If you spoke up without permission, you got cuffed over the head. If you didn't finish your dinner, you'd starve for the rest of the week."

"That's horrible," James whispered.

Sirius shrugged, "Regulus was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, and follow their beliefs. He acted like the perfect son, in order to avoid as many beatings as possible. Or sometimes, I'd take his beatings for him."

James swore, "No wonder you left."

Sirius raised an eyebrow, "Oh, no. That was just the tip of the iceberg. My parents were also huge followers of the Dark Arts and Voldemort."

He was impressed when James didn't flinch, and continued, "One day, during breakfast, our parents announced that they were going to send Regulus to a special camp. Now, he was too young to understand, but I wasn't a fool. I had heard them mentioning it, in the weeks before. It's literally a camp to train Death Eaters. They want to reel them in, while they're young, I guess. There are only two ways to exit, once you enter the camp: as a Death Eater, or in a body bag."

He shuddered, before saying, "I couldn't let Regulus face that. So, later that night, I snuck into his room. We packed anything that we could carry, and snuck out the window. That was a year ago, and we haven't looked back. I promised him that I would always be there for him."

He broke off, staring up at the stars that were beginning to come out, "I didn't keep my promise, though. I was the only one he trusted, and I let him down."

"But now you're here to make things right," James pointed out.

Sirius nodded, before saying, "Something's not right. The woman said that she had called my parents, but they've never set a hand on a telephone before."

Sirius suddenly sat up straight, "I've seen her, before! She's been at parties, that my parents have hosted!"

He jumped up, "I'll bet you anything that my parents sent their allies to different orphanages, just in case we showed up."

"Is that good?" James asked, uncertainly, "I mean, maybe they miss you two?"

"No," Sirius said, rubbing his temple, "It's more like they're hunting us."

He looked up, "We have to move, quickly."

James nodded, "Right. Let's go."

Sirius sighed, "This is risky. You don't have to do this, you know."

James shrugged, "I don't have anything else to do."

A silent conversation passed between the two. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

"It's dark enough," Sirius said, touched, "I suppose it's now or never."

James nodded, "There's a tree, with a branch that comes near the window."

They slowly made their way up the tree, using the darkness of the night as their camouflage.

When they finally reached the window, Sirius gave it a harsh rap.

Regulus came running over, looking frightened and shocked. Upon seeing Sirius, his face lit up with a grin. The two brothers attempted to open the window, before realizing that it was locked.

Sirius made up his mind, smashing his hand through the glass.

An alarm sounded from somewhere below.

"Sirius?" Regulus whimpered.

Sirius pulled him onto the branch. The three jumped, landing on the ground, with sickening thuds.

They scrambled to their feet, running as fast as they their legs could carry them.

A mob of angry and suspicious people followed.

James, Sirius, and Regulus raced into a side-street, halting as they reached a tall, barbed-wire, fence.

James and Sirius started to climb, but they weren't strong enough to get to the top, let alone to pull Regulus.

They fell back down to the ground, where a crowd was waiting.

A popping noise suddenly emitted from somewhere on the grounds. It was a fairly common sound, yet James, Sirius, and Regulus knew that it was the sound of someone Apparating.

Two people pushed their way through the crowd.

Regulus screamed, and Sirius pulled him into a tight hug.

"Boys, there you are!" Walaburga Black hissed, a triumphant smirk planted on her face.

Orion turned to the crowd. Sirius could see him slip out his wand, "Thank you for bringing us our sons. You may leave now."

As if in a trance, the crowd slowly dispersed, until the five were the only ones left.

Regulus gave a small sob. Sirius continued to hug him, "Don't cry, Regulus. Remember what I always told you."

James put a hand on each brothers' shoulder.

"Regulus, son, come with us," Orion said, calmly. He stepped forward, and the trio stepped back.

"NO!" Sirius jumped in front of his brother, "You can't take him!"

James slowly reached into his pocket. He grabbed something, and suddenly chucked it at Orion and Walaburga.

The Dungbomb exploded, sending a gust of yellow smoke billowing through the alleyway. It was a perfect distraction, and the boys quickly pushed past the two adults, running as fast as they could.

Orion and Walaburga raced after them, their wands out.

The three boys skirted around a corner.

"In there!" Regulus cried, pointing to the magnificent tower of Big Ben.

Before Sirius could stop him, Regulus wrenched a door open, and ran inside. James and Sirius scrambled after him.

The three made their way up the chambers, until they were climbing the inner mechanisms of the clock. They clambered on top of apparatuses and pulleys, praying that the bell would not start ringing.

At one point, Sirius's shoe slipped off. He watched, horrified, as it fell between two gears below. The gears were close enough together, that as soon as the shoe landed in between them, they ripped it apart, mercilessly.

Sirius swallowed, "Don't lose your grip!"

A burst of red light suddenly hit James in the chest, causing him to fall.

"James?" Sirius whispered, frightened.

He looked down, and saw that James had, luckily, landed on a platform.

"I'm okay," James stood up, just as Walaburga and Orion rushed past him, their wands hissing from the spell that they had just emitted.

James stood his ground, but it was evident that the two were not coming for him.

Walaburga shot another spell, which came dangerously close to knocking Regulus off of a whirling gear.

"Get away from him!" James roared. He tackled Orion, knocking the man to the ground.

The two wrestled, fiercely. Orion was thrice the age of James, and nearly thrice as tall, but James was filled with pure adrenaline.

James managed to wrestle the wand from Orion's hand. He fell back, panting, pointing it at Orion.

"You wouldn't," Orion sneered.

"Stupefy!" James roared.

The spell did little to knock Orion back, and the man stepped forward, smirking.

All of a sudden, the clock tower was filled with bursts of bright light, as Ministry Officials suddenly appeared.

"James Potter," a woman said, formally, "The use of a wand, under the age of seventeen, is prohibited. As such…what the…?"

The woman, as well as the others, seemed to suddenly take in their surroundings.

"Help!" Regulus cried, from above. By now, he had reached the pendulum, and was desperately trying to hold on as he swung to and fro. Sirius was right behind him, and Walaburga was bringing up the rear.

"Arrest these parents, at once!" the woman roared, pale.

Orion suddenly shot forward. He seized his wand, thrashing it. Several Officials fell, pools of blood emitting from them.

Someone raised their own wand, binding Orion. They then turned to Walaburga, who had almost caught up with the other

With a roar, Walaburga slashed her wand. A red light shot towards Regulus, hitting him square in the back. The young boy crumpled, falling off.

"No!" Sirius roared, "Regulus! REGULUS!"

The Ministry Officials were too busy dueling Walaburga to help. Before anyone could stop him, James leapt over the platform railing, catching Regulus in mid-air.

Sirius gave an anguished cry. James dangled from the platform, holding onto the railing with one hand, and Regulus with the other.

Regulus dangled below, looking terrified, "J…James?"

"Don't look down!"

Yet, as is common with that expression, it only made Regulus glance below.

He let out a horrid scream, as he saw the gnarling gears.

James bit his lip, before saying the first thing that came to mind,

So be sure when you with care and great tact and remember that

Life's a Great Balancing Act

Regulus blinked up at him, before whispering the rest of the page,

Just never forget to be dexterous and never mix up your right foot with your left.

James managed to pull himself onto the platform, bringing Regulus with him.

By that time, the Ministry Officials had successfully defeated Walaburga and Orion.

Sirius slid down the mechanisms, joining them.

He barely glanced at anything else. He didn't notice the Ministry Officials, who were tending their wounds, or the ones who were staring at him in awe. He did not notice his parents, lying in a crumpled heap.

All he could see was Regulus He took his brother into a tight, heart-wrenching, hug, and began to cry.

"You came back for me," Regulus whispered, tearfully.

"Of course I did, Reg," Sirius said, tears streaming down his face, as he held his brother tighter, "I promised you that I would never leave you."

James made a weird sound, that almost sounded like a sob.

Sirius looked up, his face shining with gratitude. He and Regulus then threw an arm around James, and welcomed their third brother into a hug.

A/N: I get way too attached to these stories! So, what'd you guys think? I told you that James would be back! And guess what? He's here to stay!

Please review!


	11. Chapter 10 And Epilogue

Chapter Ten

The next few hours were a complete blur.

Sirius, James, and Regulus were taken to the Ministry for Magic, where no one seemed to know what to do with them.

A kind man finally escorted them to his office. He was at a loss for words, and instead gave them cups of strong coffee and a security blanket.

The man then left them to their thoughts, as the Ministry tried to sort things out.

The boys sat, huddled beneath the blanket.

They were the only ones in the room, which was eerily quiet.

After a while, Regulus dozed off, using Sirius's lap as a pillow.

Sirius smiled down at him, before pulling the blanket closer.

He then sighed, shivering.

James put a hand on his shoulder, sympathetically.

Sirius smiled back, but it was weak. After months of being on the run, it felt strange to depend on adults to sort things.

"Don't worry," James said, "Everything's going to be fine."

"You don't know that, mate," Sirius whispered back, "My parents are manipulative. They can find a way out."

"They won't," James said, firmly, "I won't allow it."

Sirius suddenly realized what was happening. Sirius was watching over Regulus, and James was watching over Sirius.

Then who, Sirius realized, was watching over James?

His silent question was answered several minutes later.

Two people burst into the room crying, "James!"

The woman was short, plump, and gray-haired. Her face looked like it had experienced many smiles. Right now, however, she looked worried.

The man was tall, slim, and balding. His eyes had wrinkles of laughter around them, though they were now filled with fear.

"Mum! Dad!" James cried, before quickly glancing at Regulus, to ensure that his cry did not wake the sleeping boy. He then jumped up, hugging his parents.

"Oh James, thank goodness!" Mrs. Potter cried.

"We were so worried, son," Mister Potter said, pale, "We heard that you had quite the adventure."

"Are you hurt, love?" Mrs. Potter went on, "Any broken bones?"

"I'm fine, mum," James said, embarrassed, "Shhh, you'll wake Regulus."

It was then that Mrs. Potter noticed the other two, "Oh you poor dears! Why, just look at you."

She pulled Sirius into a tight hug, and ruffled Regulus's hair. The boy gave a small snore, rolling over.

"Son, when was the last time you had a bath?" Mister Potter asked, genuinely concerned.

"That's a good question," Sirius noted, thinking.

"When's the last time you had something to eat?" Mrs. Potter fussed.

"That's another good question," Sirius held his growling stomach.

He suddenly realized how he must look. His hair was filled with grime and sweat. His face was covered with dirt. His ribs poked through his thin shirt, and he was missing a shoe. Regulus didn't look much better.

Suddenly very self-conscious, he wished that the Potters would stop staring.

"Anyway, thanks for helping me get Regulus back, mate," Sirius turned to James, grimacing, "I expect you'll be off, then?"

"Are you mental?" James cried, "I'm not leaving."

Mrs. Potter hesitated. It wasn't that she didn't want to stay. She just wanted to get James back home, where he would be safe and loved.

Then again, there were two others boys who also needed to be loved.

"Well, of course we're not going to leave," she whispered.

The four sat down. Mrs. Potter took the sleeping Regulus into her lap.

After several moments, the door opened again. The wizard, who had escorted them before, came back in.

"Sirius Black, I'm Attorney Mystic. I'm the DA and Social Worker for the Ministry for Magic. I'll be in charge of your case."

"My case?" Sirius asked, exchanging bewildered looks with James.

"Yes, of course," Mystic said, "You didn't think that we were going to let your parents get away with putting you and your brother through that?"

He sat down, "Now then, Sirius. Tell me everything."

It was a long story, filled with heart-wrenching details. Twice, Mrs. Potter burst into tears, quieting as to not disturb Regulus.

Sirius's throat clenched, when he got to the part about Regulus running away. Mister Potter put a hand on his shoulder, and Sirius managed to continue.

When the conscious members of the room had had their share of tears and storytelling, Mystic finally stood up.

"Well Sirius, I believe that will be all. I'll present your story to the Minister. I assume you have no objection of sending your parents to Azkaban? Mark my words, you will never have to see them again."

Sirius let the words sink in. Grinning, he whispered, "So, we don't have to go back to Grimmauld Place?"

"Of course not," Mystic said, "You will probably go to an orphanage, for a while. It should be a short stay, providing that we find a foster family…My word, boy! What ails you?"

For Sirius had gone white, jumping back, "No! We're not going to an orphanage!"

Mystic looked stunned. He spluttered, trying to calm the boy down.

"I don't want to risk being separated from Regulus again!" Sirius roared, "If we go to an orphanage, only one of us could be adopted!"

"Well, I would think that it would be better to be in a safe environment," Mystic stuttered, "If it means that you'll find a home…"

"You don't get it," Sirius pressed, "I just spent the last year of my life bouncing around London, with Regulus. It's not the structure that makes a home. It's who you're with. Regulus is my home. I'm not going anywhere, where he's not."

James squeezed Sirius's arm.

"Well," Mystic hesitated, "I'll see what I can do."

He left, looking quite flustered.

"He's not going to do anything," Sirius sighed, defeated.

Mister Potter stood up, "I'll make sure that he does."

He and Mrs. Potter followed Mystic, but not before carefully placing Regulus onto a bench, tucking him beneath the blanket.

"He's out of it," James laughed, trying to ease the tension.

"It's been a long day," Sirius grimaced, sitting back.

He could understand how Regulus was so sleepy. Indeed, Sirius's head was feeling heavier by the minute.

His eyes fluttered, before finally shutting.

James woke him up, half an hour later, offering him a scone. Sirius had the sneaking suspicion that James had nicked it from Mystic's desk.

Sirius ate it, hungrily.

"Where are your parents?" he asked, spraying crumbs.

"I haven't the faintest," James said, worried.

Sirius suddenly grew worried. James had done underaged magic, after all!

What if he was in trouble?

What if his parents were in trouble?

What if his parents were shipped off to Azkaban?

They were too nice for Azkaban.

"Sirius, mate, calm down!" James cried, as Sirius began to hyperventilate.

"I'm sorry," Sirius gasped, "I should've never brought you into this."

James looked thoughtful, "My dad always talks about fate and destiny. Who knows? Maybe it was destiny that got me into this."

Sirius pondered this, for several minutes.

Finally, Mister and Mrs. Potter came back in.

Sirius jumped up, "You're not being arrested, are you?"

Mister Potter gave a start, "Arrested? Why, of course not."

Mrs. Potter knelt, until she and Sirius were eye-level, "Sirius, dear, I know that you don't want to go to an orphanage."

Sirius swallowed, shaking his head.

Mrs. Potter suddenly smiled, "That's why Mister Potter and I were wondering if you wanted to come stay with us?"

The floor seemed to have fallen from underneath Sirius. A warmth spread through his body, "What about Regulus?"

"Of course," Mister Potter laughed, "Providing that James doesn't mind sharing his room."

James was ecstatic. He bounced on his heels, too excited for words.

"What do you say?" Mrs. Potter asked.

Yet, Sirius couldn't seem to find any words to express his feelings.

Instead, he leapt forward, hugging his new parents.

Regulus, meanwhile, had woken up with a start.

He rubbed his eye, murmuring, "What'd I miss?"

**Epilogue**

I can vaguely recall a time, when my brother once sat me down, and tried to explain the meaning of fate and destiny.

I didn't quite know what he meant, but Sirius had been so persistent, that I nodded my head, telling him that I understood.

Nowadays, I think that I'm starting to understand.

My name is Regulus Arcturus Potter.

Sirius and I were a bit anxious, when James's parents stated that they wanted us to live with them.

From the moment we set foot on their farmhouse, however, we were in love.

The wide open fields and pastures surrounded the beautiful house, that looked as though it was carved from a storybook.

Oh, how Mister and Mrs. Potter spoiled us!

We received a whole new wardrobe, and three square meals a day, with endless snacks in between.

We could play outside, whenever we liked. Or, sometimes, we'd sit in the den, as Mrs. Potter read aloud.

It wasn't that Mister and Mrs. Potter were carefree. There were some rules that were set in place.

For example, Sirius and I weren't allowed to touch the stove, unless she was there to supervise. And we had to wear a jacket, if it was cold outside. And we had to make sure to make our beds, in the morning, unless we were jumping on them.

For the most part, however, it was paradise.

Still, someone kept nagging at the back of my mind. Sirius seemed to sense it, as he always did.

One day, Mister Potter announced that we were going to go for a ride, in the Muggle car. Sirius, James, and I loaded into the back, and quickly fell asleep.

Mrs. Potter shook me awake, with a tender smile.

I remember pressing my nose against the car window, and seeing a figure running towards me, guided by Mister Potter.

For a second, I couldn't believe it. Then, I realized that we were at the dog shelter.

"Shadow!" I screamed, joyfully, hugging the dog.

Sirius and James laughed, at my excitement, petting and fawning over Shadow.

Just when I thought that my luck couldn't get any better, it did.

Towards the end of summer, Mister and Mrs. Potter announced that we were going to go on a family vacation.

I remember screaming with delight, as they announced that we were going to Paris, France.

Sirius hugged me, "I promised you, didn't I?"

It was the greatest trip of my life. We visited the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre, and ate real croissants.

The fun couldn't last forever, however, and soon Sirius received a letter, in the post.

"Hogwarts," he cried, excitedly, "I got accepted!"

I wanted to be happy, for my brother, but I found myself bursting into tears.

"Reg, what is it?" Mrs. Potter asked, gently.

"I don't want him to go," I sniffed, "We've always been together!"

In the end, Professor Dumbledore and Mister Potter worked out a proposition. Sirius and James used the Floo Powder, nearly every night, to come visit.

We'd laugh, and play, and read.

One day, two other boys came with them. The one was thin, and shabby, with a face of scars, and a heart of gold. The other was rather pudgy, with watery eyes, and a jumpy demeanor.

The five of us curled up, every night, with Shadow at our heels, and watched as the stars shot across the inky sky.

My name is Regulus Arcturus Potter, and I have finally found a family.

The End.


End file.
